Purpose

Robert C.  Spencer, the founding President of Sangamon State University, established the expectation that public service and service to the academic community would be highly valued by the faculty at SSU.  He emphasized that education for good citizenship was integral to a liberal arts education, and challenged this new campus and its faculty to make a difference in society.  Likewise, he sought to foster a highly participatory campus, which would model the virtues of democratic community with faculty members contributing actively to its development.  In significant measure, he succeeded on both fronts.  This award recognizes a cumulative record of significant accomplishment in service on the part of a faculty member at UIS.

Each year, one Spencer Faculty Service Award of $5,000 for developmental purposes (conference attendance, research-related travel, commodities/supplies, subscriptions, equipment) is made to a faculty member.  Nominees for this award will be assessed by the Campus Sabbatical and Awards Committee (CSAC) with the expectation that the individual selected would exemplify that model “professor-citizen” envisioned by Robert Spencer.  In keeping with the spirit of this award, those under consideration must be nominated by others.

Who can be nominated?

All faculty members holding full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty appointments are eligible to be nominated.  Full-time administrators holding faculty rank are not eligible.  In the event a member of the Campus Sabbatical & Awards Committee (CSAC) is nominated, they must recuse themselves from the deliberation of the particular award for which they are being considered.  The deliberations shall take place without the appointment of a replacement representative.  A nominee’s file will remain active for three years unless the nominee is selected for the award.

Who can make nominations?

All tenured and tenure-track faculty members and administrators holding faculty rank may make nominations.  There is no limit as to the number of nominees from any department/ program or college.  No self-nominations are allowed.

Nomination Guidelines

  1. Nomination materials must include an up-to-date copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae and bibliography, and most importantly, a detailed statement of the justification of the award from the nominator based in significant measure on materials in the nominee’s personnel file and other materials provided by the nominator.  Criteria for excellence in service are found in the Faculty Personnel Policy.  The nominator must make the case for a cumulative record of excellence in service as defined above.
  2. Each nominator must obtain written permission from the nominee to review the nominee’s personnel file to assist in preparing the nomination.  Nominees may grant permission via an email message sent to UISfacultyfiles@uis.edu.
  3. No letters of appreciation or recommendation beyond the nomination letter should be included.

Review Panel

The Campus Sabbatical and Awards Committee shall serve as the Review Panel for the Spencer Faculty Service Award.

Processing Guidelines

  1. All nominations are due by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. The nominee’s last name should be included in the names of all nomination documents.
  2. There are two options for submitting nomination materials:
    1. Materials may be emailed to UISfacultyfiles@uis.edu, or (particularly if materials are too large to attach to an email);
    2. Materials may be uploaded (drag and drop) to the Faculty Awards folder in Box
  3. The Review Panel shall make its recommendations to the Chancellor by Monday, March 7, 2022.
    The Chancellor shall subsequently notify the recipient of this award of her decision.  Funds will be available for fiscal year 2023, beginning July 1, 2022.
  4. The Provost/VCAA shall notify nominees not selected for this award.
  5. Nomination materials shall be placed in the appropriate faculty member’s personnel file following conclusion of the selection process.

11.29.2021